Written Answers

Friday 22 December 2000

Scottish Executive

Criminal Records

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review which staff in educational establishments require Scottish Criminal Records Office checks prior to their employment.

Mr Jack McConnell: Central guidance on the procedures for checking the possible criminal background of prospective teachers and those applying for certain other education authority posts is set out in Circular SED 5 / 1989 issued on 24 July 1989. Similar guidance was issued to proprietors of independent schools on 30 November 1992.

  These arrangements will be reviewed to take account of the provisions of Part V of the Police Act 1997 which we aim to bring into force next summer.

Employment

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the poor perception of jobs in the service sector amongst males as highlighted in the Action Teams for Jobs Report 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Action Teams for Jobs is a Department for Education and Employment initiative which targets the most disadvantaged areas to help workless people get a job and keep it. The Glasgow Action Team for Jobs believes from their work with clients that this perception is changing.

  The Scottish New Deal Advisory Task Force and the Glasgow Employer Coalition are also taking initiatives which address this issue.

Environment

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its departments has responsibility for, or an interest in, the emission level of methane into the environment.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department has general responsibility for issues associated with emissions of methane in Scotland.

Environment

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its departments has responsibility for emission levels of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department has general responsibility for issues associated with sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide in Scotland.

Flood Prevention

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Clyde Port Authority regarding the recommencement of dredging of the River Clyde to minimise the potential for flooding.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Dredging of the River Clyde is not a matter for the Executive and no discussions have taken place with Clydeport Plc – formerly the Clyde Port Authority. The company has powers to dredge part of the River Clyde for the purposes of navigation whilst maintenance of rivers for other purposes is a matter for the riparian owners.

  Additionally, under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 local authorities have a duty to maintain watercourses if this would substantially reduce the likelihood of flooding of non-agricultural land in their areas.

Flood Prevention

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it will give to Glasgow City and South Lanarkshire Councils to reduce the flood threat from the River Cart.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, grants, at a rate of 50%, are available to all councils for the construction of confirmed flood prevention schemes which meet specified cost-benefit criteria. It is a matter for the councils concerned whether to take forward flood prevention schemes for the White Cart.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a community legal service delivered by a range of providers including independent agencies, law centres and solicitors in private practice.

Iain Gray: The Deputy First Minister has set up a working group to make recommendations about how a "Community Legal Service" might be established in Scotland. The group is broadly based and will report to him in October 2001.

Land

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average cost is per hectare of (a) restoring a plot of derelict land and (b) bringing a plot of vacant land to productive industrial use.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally.

Local Government Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will replace capital receipt payback rules with a system which allows local authorities to retain and spend all capital receipts in time for the next financial year.

Jackie Baillie: The debt redemption rules have helped to reduce local authority housing debt significantly. It is important that we continue to reduce the debt burden on council house tenants. There are no plans to revise the current arrangements.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the £1.2 billion additional grant for local authorities over the next three years announced by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on 7 December 2000 will be absorbed by (a) inflation and (b) funding the recommendations of the McCrone Committee.

Peter Peacock: The total grant figures announced take account of a wide range of factors impacting on local government costs, including the predicted rate of inflation. There is an element included to fund additional expenditure on education, including the recommendations of the McCrone Committee, but this will be reviewed once the final McCrone package is agreed.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional resources to local authorities over the next three years if inflation exceeds 2.5% in any year.

Peter Peacock: The increases in grant support announced recently significantly exceed the predicted rate of inflation. It is for local authorities to manage their finances to take account of inflation and other factors just as other public bodies, and the Scottish Executive itself, has to do.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the local authority grant increases announced by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on 7 December 2000, are higher in 2001-02 than in 2002-03 and higher in 2002-03 than in 2003-04.

Peter Peacock: The grant allocations arise out of the spending plans announced on 20 September, and represent a 10.5% increase in real terms over the three-year period.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how each local authority’s aggregate external finance increase for 2001-02 to 2003-04 was arrived at.

Peter Peacock: Each authority’s grant for 2001-02 was calculated using the existing client group-based distribution formula adjusted to reflect a number of distribution reviews completed this year. A minimum grant increase (or "floor") of 5% was put in place. For 2002-03 and 2003-04, the formula was updated using projections of population changes in key client groups. Floors of 4% in 2002-03 and 3.4% in 2003-04 were applied.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how Glasgow City Council will receive £12 million more in cash terms over the next three years under the spending formula announced by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on 7 December 2000 than under the block and formula approach favoured by the council.

Peter Peacock: Comparisons of the population update and block and formula methods of grant distribution for 2002-03 and 2003-04 suggested that Glasgow City Council would gain around £3.9 million more over the three-year period 2001-04 from the block and formula method than the population update method. The incorporation of a "floor", or guaranteed minimum grant increase, gives the council an additional £16 million over the block and formula method. It is the difference between these two figures that constituted the additional £12 million that was referred to in the statement of 7 December 2000.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to impose any new statutory duties or responsibilities on local authorities over the next 12 months and, if so, whether it will fully fund any such duties or responsibilities in this period and in future years.

Peter Peacock: We will consider any new statutory duties and responsibilities, and whether they impose any additional financial burden on local government, as they arise.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what "hidden burdens" the Minister for Finance and Local Government was referring to when responding to the question from Alex Salmond during the ministerial statement on 7 December 2000 ( Official Report , col. 707).

Peter Peacock: The Minister acknowledged the burdens and pressures on local government. But none of these burdens are hidden.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the additional resources for Glasgow City Council announced by the Minister for Finance and Local Government on 7 December 2000 will be allocated to the council’s Public/Private Partnership to fund school buildings and, if so, how much.

Peter Peacock: The allocations to Glasgow City Council announced on the 7 December include provision for Level Playing Field Support for Schools of over £44 million. Glasgow City Council’s single capital allocation will rise to almost £40 million (a 38% increase) over the next three years. The Single Allocation covers roads and transport, education, social work, private housing and general services (including coast protection and flood prevention). It is for Glasgow City Council to decide how its single allocation is spent.

Ministerial Correspondence

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its performance in replying to correspondence from MPs or MSPs.

Mr Tom McCabe: In the quarter April to June 2000, 3,618 letters were received for ministerial reply, of which 41% received a reply within the target 17 working days. In the quarter July to September 2000 (which included the holiday period), 3,395 letters were received, of which 31% were answered within 17 working days. So far in the current quarter (1 October – 17 November) 2,364 letters have been received and 37% of replies have been issued on time.

  A new electronic system for handling correspondence within the Executive is now operational across the core departments. A range of other measures are being taken to improve correspondence handling, including new guidance for staff, a quality circle project in one department and steps to ensure that incoming correspondence reaches the correct Action Officer more quickly. I expect these to produce a marked improvement in response times in 2001, and the Executive’s targets for answering ministerial correspondence in the last quarter of 2001 will be:

  80% of correspondence to receive a reply within 17 working days; and

  100% of correspondence to receive a reply within 25 working days.

  I shall report quarterly on progress towards these targets.

Multiple Sclerosis

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has encouraged Scottish multiple sclerosis sufferers to participate in clinical trials to establish the therapeutic properties of cannabis and how many are expected to participate in these trials.

Susan Deacon: Recruitment of subjects for clinical trials is the responsibility of the investigator who must provide full information about the proposed study to obtain the informed consent to the subject.

NHS Staff

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage flexible working practices in the NHSiS which would allow doctors, nurses and ancillary staff to combine work with caring responsibilities.

Susan Deacon: Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change makes clear that all NHS employers will be required to meet or exceed best practice guidance on family-friendly policies as part of the new Staff Governance Standard. To help employers, guidance on family-friendly policies will issue in the New Year, and will address issues such as flexible working, childcare, breastfeeding and career breaks. The guidance will apply to all staff in NHS Scotland.

NHS Staff

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact "family-friendly" policies would have in retaining trained and skilled staff within the NHSiS.

Susan Deacon: The introduction of family-friendly policies is expected to improve morale and show that NHS Scotland cares about its staff. It sends the message that NHS Scotland is serious about recruiting new staff and retaining its staff by offering them the ability to work the hours they want to combine work with family commitments.

Post Offices

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase utilisation of the rural Post Office network by promoting additional over the counter services, for example the sale of travel tickets.

Ross Finnie: The Post Office and postal services are reserved matters for the UK Government, although the Executive recognises the important role which post offices play in communities across Scotland, and in particular in rural areas.

  The Executive is keen to encourage innovative approaches to service provision in rural areas, including post office services, and has asked a sub-group of the Scottish National Rural Partnership to investigate this issue. I expect to receive the group’s report shortly.

  I am aware that the Post Office is continually seeking to identify new opportunities to increase the number of transactions across its counters, and is already offering a number of additional services, including banking services. We welcome the progress being made, and encourage the Post Office to continue its efforts to attract additional business. With regard to the sale of travel tickets, while it is for transport operators to decide who should act as ticket agents, the Executive would welcome any initiatives which make the advance purchase of travel tickets more readily available.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether at a recent meeting of Governors-in-Charge a vote of no confidence in the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, Mr Tony Cameron, was taken and, if so, what the result was.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the roster agreed and accepted by the Governor of Peterhead prison, within the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) guidelines of achieving 5-10% staff savings, has been rejected by the SPS.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  No final decisions have yet been decided by the SPS on new attendance patterns in respect of any SPS establishments.

Residential Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly people in hospital or at home who had been assessed for nursing/residential care died before securing a placement, in each local authority area, in the years 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Waste Management

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it will make to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s Strategic Review of Organic Waste Spread on Land.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) Strategic Review of Organic Waste Spread on Land was commissioned by the Scottish Office in 1998. The report provides a comprehensive and useful assessment of the practices, impacts and risks of spreading organic wastes on land.

  The Scottish Executive conducted a public consultation on SEPA’s recommendations. Although there was general support for increased or more consistent control of most aspects of waste spreading on land, some of the recommendations did not receive overall support.

  The Executive is also carrying out a wider review of the exemptions set out in the Waste Management Licensing Regulations (WMLR) 1994 and the SEPA recommendations have been very useful in this work. At present, these regulations allow certain wastes to be spread on land with only a minimum of control, with information simply having to be registered with SEPA. These exemptions are made to encourage the recovery or recycling of waste but there may be a need for more stringent controls. This will be the subject of consultation in due course. The amendments being considered, if adopted, would implement the bulk of the recommendations in SEPA’s Review. These include:

  the introduction of a consistent legislative framework for all organic wastes spread on land;

  a requirement for those intending to spread organic wastes to demonstrate to SEPA the agricultural benefit or improvement for animal and plant communities;

  restrictions on land utilisation following the application of wastes to prevent harm to health, wastes to be analysed for chemical and microbiological parameters prior to spreading;

  a prohibition on spreading of septic tank sludge on land;

  a requirement for a waste producer who wishes to recycle organic waste to land to provide an audit trail which SEPA can assess and;

  a charging scheme to be developed by SEPA to recover the cost of inspections from those seeking the exemption.

  However, the following SEPA recommendations still need to be addressed.

  Prohibition of the spreading of blood and gut contents from abattoirs.

  The Executive proposes to consider how blood and gut contents should be dealt with in the light of the report due to be published in 2001 by the joint Executive/Food Standards Agency Task Force which is examining how to minimise the exposure of the public to E.coli 0157. In the meantime the Executive will continue a dialogue with spreading contractors to promote improved practices.

  Introduction of Land Management Plans.

  The Executive will continue to work to promote better planning of farm activities to prevent adverse impacts on the environment. However, the Executive’s Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity (PEPFAA) Code already provides good practice advice to farmers.

  Prohibition of certain practices including injecting wastes on land with field drains and spreading waste outwith daylight hours. Prohibition of these practices will not be taken forward at present. It is considered impracticable to prohibit injecting on agricultural land with field drains. Spreading outwith daylight hours could be a practical disadvantage to Scottish farmers because of the shorter winter daylight hours in Scotland.

  Competency schemes for contractors carrying out landspreading operations. The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) already offers Waste to Agricultural Land Systems Training Schemes (WASTeS). It is not considered that other schemes are necessary at present.

  I am confident that the activities currently under way and planned as a result of the review of the WMLR exemptions and the recommendations in the SEPA report will lead to better control of the recycling and recovery of wastes spread on land. There is potential for continuing to make use of these waste materials, but it is obviously vital that we also allay the concerns of the public and avoid unacceptable risk and impact to health and the environment.